Month: September 2022

Source: United States Navy

While in port, Jackson hosted French Navy Rear Adm. Geoffroy d’Andigné, French joint commander of the Asia-Pacific zone and the armed forces in French Polynesia., and French High Commission staff members for a tour and lunch aboard the ship. U.S. Navy Sailors also provided tours for the French Polynesia Attorney General, judicial representatives, and French Navy Sailors.

“It was a pleasure to host USS Jackson and learn more about the littoral combat ship,” said d’Andigné. “US is a long partner of France, we look forward to continuing our collaborative training in the future and to work together for the benefit of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”

Navy leadership met with with French Polynesia President Édouard Fritch and the French High Commission staff to discuss how the U.S. and French navies can operate together in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. Leadership also met with French Armed Forces and French Polynesia staff to discuss bilateral training topics and opportunities to operate together.

“Our visit to Tahiti has been incredible, from the hospitality of the people to the great discussions we had with our French counterparts,” said Capt. Marc Crawford, Commodore, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron ONE. “USS Jackson’s presence in Tahiti is a demonstration of American support to the Indo-Pacific region, particularly French Polynesia, as we work together alongside our regional partners and allies to achieve our common goals.”

The United States is a proud Pacific nation with deep and long lasting ties to the countries of the Pacific, U.S. neighbors, allies, and friends. The United States is committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific, building connections within and beyond the region, driving Indo-Pacific prosperity, and bolstering Indo-Pacific security.

“The relationships we build and the training we do with our partners and allies throughout the Indo-Pacific are invaluable,” said Rear Adm. Wayne Baze, commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 3. “USS Jackson’s visits to Fiji and French Polynesia demonstrate not only our dedication to the region but also the unique capabilities of the littoral combat ship as they support the OMSI mission.”

French and U.S. naval forces operate around the globe every day. Most recently, the two countries participated in Rim of the Pacific exercise, working together with a total of 26 nations to foster and sustain relationships critical to the safety of the sea lanes and security of the world’s interconnected oceans.

Also in 2021, senior French and U.S. officials signed a Strategic Interoperability Framework. The framework helps organize how the two navies can build upon mutual capability, and operational goals moving forward. Since the signing, French and U.S. naval staffs have developed long-term bilateral roadmaps focusing on achieving combined sea control, combined power projection, and assured Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) and data sharing.

Jackson is underway supporting Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI), a Secretary of Defense initiative that improves maritime security and maritime domain awareness by enabling U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement personnel to conduct maritime law enforcement operations from U.S. Navy assets to enforce the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Convention and suppress illicit activities.

LCS are fast, agile, mission-focused platforms designed to operate in near-shore environments, winning against 21st-century coastal threats. LCS are capable of supporting forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.

Expeditionary Strike Group 3 comprises four amphibious squadrons, 11 amphibious warships, and eight naval support elements including approximately 18,000 active-duty and reserve Sailors and Marines. As Deputy Commander for Amphibious and Littoral Warfare, U.S. 3rd Fleet, Commander, ESG 3 also oversees the 14 littoral combat ships under Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 1 and Mine Countermeasures Group 3. ESG 3 is postured in support of U.S. 3rd Fleet as a globally responsive and scalable naval command element, capable of generating, deploying, and employing naval forces and formations for crisis and contingency response, forward presence, and major combat operations focusing on amphibious operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and defense support of civil authorities, and expeditionary logistics.

Source: United States Navy

Ships will begin departures from Naval Air Station Mayport Tuesday, September 27 or complete heavy weather mooring if required to stay in port. Aircraft will initiate evacuations from area airfields or be secured in hangars rated to withstand hurricane force winds.

“Hurricane preparations were made months ago through a Navy-wide exercise ahead of the hurricane season,” said Rear Adm. Jim Aiken, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet. “Our Sailors will now focus on the safe execution of those planning efforts to enable sustained fleet operations.”

Early this morning, Rear Adm. Wes McCall, Navy Region Southeast instructed all Navy installations in the Jacksonville area to set Hurricane Condition of Readiness Three in preparation for the storm. All bases are currently open, but are expected to close non-essential operations by Wednesday. Hurricane Condition of Readiness Three signifies that damaging winds are expected to affect the local area within 48 hours.

“The safety and security of our people is my top priority,” said McCall. “Currently the forecast for Hurricane Ian remains uncertain, however the Navy remains vigilant in preparing for its arrival and will work to keep our personnel, assets and installations informed and safe.”

The littoral combat ship, USS Little Rock (LCS 9) will be the first ship departing from Naval Station Mayport tomorrow at approximately noon. The remaining ships will depart throughout the day.

All personnel and their families should review their Navy Family Accountability and Assessment System (NFAAS) account (https://navyfamily.navy.mil) and review hurricane checklists in the event an evacuation is deemed necessary.

Navy personnel and their families should visit the Ready Navy website at https://ready.navy.mil and follow Twitter (@ReadyNavy). Ready Navy provides information, tools and resources that empower the Navy family to more aptly prepare for, react and recover when faced with any emergency.

Source: United States Navy

Since inception in 2015, SMWDC has completed 35 SWATT exercises, but there were still some “first time” occurrences this month.

“This was the first planned and executed SWATT designed with multiple littoral combat ships (LCS) operating under LCS Squadron (LCSRON) ONE as the Officer in Tactical Command, instead of plugging the LCS units into a carrier strike group’s cruiser-destroyer (CRUDES) SWATT,” said Arnel Ebue, SMWDC ECC supervisor. “LCSRON ONE battle watch staff operated from SMWDC’s ECC as LCS SWATT completed training in the Pacific Ocean. At the same time, the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) CRUDES SWATT was operating in the Atlantic Ocean, also controlled from SMWDC’s ECC.”

SWATT provides the individual warfighters, watch teams, ships and strike groups or amphibious ready groups the tactical training required to increase their lethality, tactical capability and warfighting readiness. Surface warships complete warfighting training courses of instruction in the lead up to SWATT, followed by one week of inport training and up to 16 days of at-sea training. Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT) is aligned closely with the Surface Competitive Edge initiative aimed at developing clear and innovative operational concepts and enhancing warfighting readiness.

“LCS SWATT’s at-sea operational mission scenarios empowered individual Sailors, ship watch teams, and division and squadron staffs to utilize all of the ships’ onboard resources and to coordinate between ships in a simulated fight,” said Capt. Spencer Austin, commodore of Mine Division Twelve based in San Diego. “From in-port instruction to firing missiles with a SeaRAM launcher, SMWDC’s leadership and guidance over the past two weeks increased our crews’ tactical and technical expertise, and validated USS Oakland Gold crew’s, USS Mobile Blue crew’s, and USS John Finn’s warfighting capabilities.”

SMWDC embarks senior mentors and warfare tactics instructors (WTIs) aboard ships during SWATT to provide over-the-shoulder guidance to warships’ watch teams as they hone their tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP), execute surface warfighting doctrine, and apply ground truth to swiftly identify areas for improvement at the individual, system or doctrine level. WTIs are tactical experts in one of four surface warfare areas – integrated air and missile defense (IAMD), anti-submarine warfare/surface warfare (ASW/SUW), amphibious warfare (AMW), or mine warfare (MIW). Because of SWATT performance data analysis deep-dives, and doctrine and TTP testing and refinement, each iteration of SWATT is a little more challenging and more importantly, delivers a more lethal and combat ready surface force.

SMWDC’s mission is to increase the lethality and tactical proficiency of the surface force across all domains. SMWDC recruits and develops top-talented junior surface warfare officers into expert surface warfighting tacticians. For more information about the WTI program, email SWO_WTI@navy.mil or visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/Ships/Naval-Surface-and-Mine-Warfighting-Development-Center-SMWDC/About/WTI/.